What were the advantages of the Vietnam war for the US military wise?

Answer 1

Weapons: Tanks, Jets, Ships, Guns (Artillery), Rifles, Machine guns, Shells, Bombs, Mines, and an assortment of other war equipment had built designed, built, and fielded in the US Military from 1945 up through the end of the 20th Century. Only twice were these materials allowed the opportunity to be combat tested by US military forces...with the one exception of Operation Desert Storm in Jan & Feb 1991; which combat tested the F-117 aircraft, M1 tank, Bradley IFV, and Apache/Blackhawk helicopters, and some other related materials. Desert Storm ONLY allowed testing for LESS THAN 100 HOURS. The above described equipment were validated on the battlefield; but again not during extended combat, such as Germany's armored columns advancing into Russia in 1941. Or the US M4 medium tank enduring battle for over 3 years. Or the US M48 Patton tank enduring battle from 1965 until 1975 in Vietnam. Good information came out of those 100 HOURS of battle; but many more things were NOT learned. Vietnam allowed the testing and validation in combat, of the Strategic Air Command's high altitude B-52 Stratofortress bomber; super-sonic jet intercepter's in aerial duels (dog-fights) with adversary super-sonic jets in aerial combat: F-100 Supersabres, F-101 Voodoos, F-102 Delta Daggers, F-104 Starfighters, F-105 Thunderchiefs (the only Air Force single engine bomber that could carry a nuke completely concealed within it's fuselage), A-1 Skyraiders, A-4 Skyhawks, A-6 Intruders, A-7 Corsairs, F-4 Phantoms, and F-8 Crusaders. High altitude spy planes such as the U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird were used & validated in combat. Today's 21st century Rapter is the offspring from lessons learned in Vietnam, especially by the nation's last ACES of the 20th century, the F-4 Phantom II. The M-1 Abrams MBT is named after GEN Creighton Abrams, the last US Commander in Vietnam. Today's 21st century body armor has been developed thru the study of bullet and shrapnel pierced steel helmets from Korea and Vietnam, as well as the old "flak vests" from that time period. The use of the .50 BMG sniper rifle was developed from experience documented by Vietnam snipers, such as USMC Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Hathcock. Vietnam gave the US Army, US Marine Corps, US Air Force, and US Navy OVER ten years to develope, test, and improve upon military hardware...from rifles to jets; from metal 1 quart canteens to 1 & 2 quart plastic canteens...from canned "C" rations to today's "modern" light weight military rations.

Answer 2

The helicopters and airpower (jet fighter bombers). Without those two classes of warbirds; US fighting men would've had to slug it out in the mud...year after year.

Helicopters flew over the mud; jets destroyed the enemy (most of the time).